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Fashion Staples: Cool T-shirts for Summer

Written by Holly Aguirre
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Get the coolest t-shirts for summer

We know you have a favorite t-shirt. We do, too. It’s soft, full of holes and residing in the drawer of an ex-partner and we want it back. Since we’re not making that call, we rounded up a few prime for picking, tees that are sure to get you noticed, and will probably get borrowed and never returned.

R. Land

http://rlandart.com

rland tshirtDuring a late night Kinko's run back in 2000, Atlanta artist R. Land produced a joke flyer for a "Loss Cat" named Speckles. He pasted the flyer all over town and that begat a wildly popular t-shirt and even a theme song. Just a few days ago, the retail behemoth and crap-a-torium Forever 21 blatantly ripped off Land's Speckles design; everything was the same except it read: Lost Cat. As of this printing, the shirt was pulled from Forever 21's site, and this isn't the first time that store allegedly ripped off an artist or designer. Gwen Stefani and Anna Sui are a few of the some 60 clothing designers to make claims against the giant retailer. The artist, also known for his disturbingly fantastic rendition of Little Bunny Foo Foo, hocks his wares/wears at the local Criminal Records, Youngblood, online and the occasional independent festival. And despite its overwhelming popularity with the hipster set, his prices remain modest and affordable with t-shirts starting at $20. We say stick it to the man and purchase a shirt via Land's web site. Loss Cat: $24

Danger the Store

www.dangerthestore.com

danger t shirtsWhile every other schmoe is sporting his Labrador Retriever t-shirt or some other "Hangover" rip off, we suggest ordering up something unique from Danger. We especially like the Make Your Own Luck print made in honor of the company interns. According to the company's web site, their interns are not paid and can't afford cars or public transportation. All proceeds from sales of this shirt go towards future paid internships, bless their hearts. There's a blank space below the wheels where one can take a Sharpie and write in their name -- for identifying the body when they're clipped by a city bus we assume. $30

Urban Outfitters

www.urbanoutfitters.com

urban outfitters t shirtsPerhaps the only thing cooler than seeing Radiohead perform is sporting an In Rainbows “Go to Hell” tour t-shirt. The tee is so soft and comfortable it's kind of unbelievable that the shirt is made from organic cotton, polyester and recycled plastic bottles. According to rock lore, the band grew tired of seeing discarded bottles littering the floor of concert venues and put their money where their mouths are, or in this case, your money. A clothing company in the U.K. called W.A.S.T.E. peddles most of the band's tour merch, but Urban Outfitters cornered a web exclusive on our featured tee. $28

Altru Apparel

www.altruapparel.com

wwwtrd wwwtrdIt's easy to get lost in the ocean of design at Altru. Wade through the pithy and hilarious graphics and settle on the one that suits your personality best. Maybe you are a Fonzi Warhol man or a Mods Contre Les Rockeurs man, an obscure (and sort of pretentious) reference to the age-old mods vs rockers feud a la Quadraphenia. We especially like the What Would Walker Texas Ranger Do? t-shirt. If we wanted a sissy shirt we’d get one that says Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman on it. Feel good about your purchase; all shipments within the United States are shipped carbon neutral. $36

Built by Wendy

www.builtbywendy.com

built by wendy t-shirtWe're letting the secret out of the closet: Wendy Mullin, whom we know you've never heard of, makes quite possibly the coolest t-shirts around. She's best known for her uber-hip clothing line for the ladies with two shops in New York. Wendy started her line while working part-time at two indie record stores selling the odd piece and guitar straps alongside the vinyl and cassette tapes. She was also a costume designer, styled rock darlings Sleater Kinney and Pavement and helped design Kim Gordon's (Sonic Youth) X-Girl collection as well as Mike D's (Beastie Boys) X-Large. Celebrity fans include Jack Black, Parker Posey, James Franco and Andy Samberg. One of our favorites is the Bloody Boys Tee in heather blue depicting various film characters such as Bud Cort from Harold & Maude and Adam Baldwin from My Bodyguard, all bloodied to a pulp. Sadly, most styles are available only at the outlet store. Call 718.384.2882 for pricing and details.